The present invention concerns clamping pliers. In particular, the invention concerns a clamping plier with a support extension arm for grasping and longitudinally supporting one or more objects. The clamping plier of the present invention is particularly useful for clamping and stabilizing objects that are relatively long and otherwise unmanageable when grasped by conventional clamping pliers.
In the field of autobody repair, a mechanic repairing a damaged or rusted portion on the body of a vehicle, such as a fender or quarter panel, must often weld sheet metal replacement panels to the surviving metal on the vehicle. Typically, the autobody mechanic will cut away the damaged or rotted metal on the panel and will prepare the remaining intact metal to receive a replacement panel. The mechanic will then form a replacement panel from a piece of sheet metal to fill the void created by the cutaway metal. The mechanic will weld the edges of the replacement panel to the remaining intact metal. To accomplish the welding step, the mechanic must hold the replacement panel accurately in line with the remaining intact metal; otherwise the panel will not be properly oriented on the automobile as the welding step is carried out. To hold the panel in place during welding, mechanics have traditionally used clamping devices, which are available in various sizes and shapes.
One clamp that mechanics typically use in autobody repair is a locking C-clamp plier. A mechanic will use a locking C-clamp plier to fasten the replacement panel to the remaining intact metal. Conventional locking C-clamps suffer, however, in that they cannot be used efficiently to secure large sheets of metal. When a mechanic uses a conventional C-clamp to fasten one end of a large sheet of metal to the intact metal on the auto, the opposed end of the replacement sheet inevitably protrudes or bows out making it very difficult to align that end with the corresponding intact metal to which it must be welded. This makes it very difficult to weld the replacement metal sheet to the remaining intact metal on the auto.
The present invention solves the above-referenced problem and many other drawbacks associated with the prior art clamping pliers.